Drapery fixture



June 13, 1933. Q M, KENNEY 1,914,132

DRAPERY FIXTURE Filed July 28. 1932 Ilwenoz GeoryeMKgnngy Patented June 13,1933

entre; STATES GEORGE It. KENNEY, 0F CRANSTON, RHODE PATENT OFFICE f I' ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO KENNEY MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, 0F AUBURN, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND DRAPERY FIXTURE AppIicaton filed July 28,

This invention relates to drapery lixtures and particularly to a curtain rod of the socalled flat or C-shaped type. This type of rod has been standard upon the ,market for a great many years and although subject to certain objections has generally been consid ered as satisfactory. f

One characteristic objection has been the tendency of the rod to sag under the Weight of a heavy curtain. This tendency is emphasized as the length of the rod increases, due to the fact that the rear Wall of the rod is provided with -a continuous longitudinal slot.

This slot introduces a factor of weakness and it has heretofore been thought that this weakness could be corrected only by substantially equalizing the amount of metal in the rear wall to the amount ofmetal in the front wall.

Where equalization has been attempted it has usually been achieved by overfolding the edges bordering the slot in the rear wall into close contact with the rear wall itself whereby to form double thick portions which are supposed to lend structural strength tothe rod by trussing it against buckling or distortion as well as presenting smooth rounded edges in place of the normal sharp or burred edges of metal which border the slot itself.

My present invention `contemplates a rod of increased strength and rigidity in which the amount of metal in the rear wall is not merely equalized to that in the front wall but is actually in excess thereof, without however resulting in a rod of impossible thickness. Instead of bordering the slot with double thick portions bent into. close contact with each other as heretofore in thel art, I so dispose the excess of metal which I introduce in the rod in the region of the slot where the rod is normally weakest and hence most likely to sag or buckle as to form structural reinforcing elements of channel or arch section continuously along both edges of the slot. The increased strength and rigidity which results from the presence of'these structural reinforcing arches is therefore something more than the mere physical increase in the amount of metal in the rod itself. To the contrary,

1932. Serial No. 625,406.

the formation of such excess metal into deli- Y nite channelarches bordering the slot affords in the complete rod two distinct and separate arches which are reversely disposed in trussing relation to each other and tothe slotted rear wall of the rod.

In practice, the excess of metal in the rear wall of the rod bordering the slot amounts to approximately 20%, and such excess metal is disposed as inturned arch or channel reinforcing elements which are definitely spaced from the rear wall of the rod and are in reverse relatiton to each other and lto the normal arches joining the front and rearv walls to each other edges/of the rod.

Such inturned arch 'formation lend new beauty to the rod being reversely curvedso as to counterbalance each other and to harmonize with the normal arches at the top and bottom edges ofthe rod. Thus the lappearance of the rod is enhanced. Although illustrated only as applied to a single rod, my novel double arch construction is adapted to telescoping rods or to traverse rods. Where the rod is telescoping, the double arch insures that close contact and lit of the rod sections so necessary to prevent them from rattling or working loose. Where used as a traverse rod either in single rod or telesco ing arrangement the inturned 'edges of the llange arches makes an ideal trackway on which the master and idler slides may slide back and forth.

As illustrative of the principles involved, I show in the accompanying drawing a simple form of rod embodying my invention.

In such drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective section of such a rod in its simplest form, viz, a single rod, and

- Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view of the tubing from which such rod vis formed.

at the top and bottom Whether the rod is a single rod or a teley eral C-shape to the rod. rlhese arches may be angular or rounded, and as here shown, are rounded. With either shape they extend sufficiently towards each to constitute a back wall which may be considered as having a slot 13 extending longitudinally from end to end thereof.

The amount of metal removed from the rear wall of the rod is represented by the width of said slot.

Instead of overfolding the free edges of the back wall portions 14 and 15 bordering the slot into close contact with each other so as to provide double thick portions as heretofore in the art and thus to equalize the amount of metal in the rear wall to the amount of metal in the front wall, I provide an excess of metal in the rear wall bordering the slot and I distribute this excess of metal as structural reinforcing channels or arches 16 and 17 which give increased strength and rigidity to the rod.

As contemplated herein the areas 14 and 15 of the rear wall bordering the slot are first bent substantially horizontally inward towards the front wall 10 as arched portions 16 and 17 and are then bent substantially vertically upwardly and downwardly as at 18 and 19. The arched portions 16 and 17 reverse to each other, being developed on substantially corresponding curves. The terminal flanges 18 and 19 are disposed in substantially the same vertical plane, being substantially parallel to the rear wall areas 14 and 15 and to the front wall area 10 but are spaced from the areas 14 and 15 by the width of the arches 16 and 17.

The excess of metal comprised in the areas 16, 17, 18 and 19 is thus distributed as structural reinforcing elements of double arch formation which give to the rod itself a strength and rigidity which is something more than the mere extra strength and rigidity represented by the increase of 20% more or less in the amount of metal in the rear wall. This extra strength may fairly be said to be the strength of the extra amount of metal plus the strength resulting from the formation of such extra metal into the channel arches 16 and 17.

These arches being reversed to each other and to the arches 11 and 12 stiffen the rod against buckling or distortion in all directions.

In addition to their function of strengthening the rod throughout its length, the arches 16 and 17 also afford smooth rounded edges at the slot 13. Moreover, the terminal edges of the ange's 18 and 19 are definitely spaced from the adjacent rear wall iportions 14 and 15 of the rod and hence afford traclways which are uninterrupted from end to end of the rod for the master and idler slides when the rod is used as a traverse rod. Where the rod is made in telescoping sections the close fit of the parts at the arches 16 and 17 insures lthat the rod sections will not rattle or inadvertently slide one within the other.

Referring to the diagram of Fig. 2 the distance A-B may be considered as the amount of metal removed from the rear wall of the rod when the slot 13 is formed therein.

If the rod be considered as having been manufactured from a tubing in which the edges of the rear wall overlap eachother for a distance which may be considered to amount to 10% in either direction beyond the center line of the slot 13, it will be noted that when these overlapping portions are bent to form the arches 16 and 17 and flanges 13 and 19 this excess of metal is fabricated into formations, viz, the reversed arch formations 16 and 17, which impart the greatest strength and rigidity to the rod. rI`hus the excess of metal is usefully employed to give a new result which is something more than its mere actual physical weight.

Various modifications in the construction and operation of my devicemay obviously be resorted to if within the spirit and scope of my invention without departing from the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drapery rod presenting a fiat front wall and a longitudinally slotted rear wall spaced from said front wall and parallel therewith, the front and rear walls being joined by top and bottom channel arches and the portions of the rear wall bordering the slot thereof being bent inwardly and thence respectively upwardly and downwardly to provide channel arches reversed to each other in curvature and reversed in curvature to the arches connecting the front and rear walls.

2. A drapery rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear wall including the inturned arches thereof contains more metal than is contained in the lfront wall.

3. A drapery rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the amount of metal in said rear wall including the inturned arches thereof exceeds by approximately 20% the amount of metal in the front wall.

4. A drapery rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal flanges of the inturned arches of the rear wall extend respectively upwardly and downwardly substantially parallel to the front and rear walls and are respectively spaced a substantial distance from the opposing slot-bordering portions of the rear wall.

5. A drapery rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal flanges of the inturned arches of the rear wall extend respectively upwardly and downwardly in the same plane substantially parallel to the front and rear walls and are respectively spaced a substantial distance from the opposing slot-bordering portions of they rear wall.

6. A drapery rod having a substantially flat front wall and a longitudinally slotted rear wall parallel with said front wall and spaced therefrom, said walls being joined at their top and bottom edges by arched connecting portions and the portions of the rear wall bordering the slot therein being inturned as channel arches of reversed curvature to each other and to the lirst named arches and terminating respectively in upwardly and downwardly extending flanges disposed between the said front and rear walls and paralle-lthereto, the amount of metal in the rear wall and its inturned arches appreciably exceeding the amount of metal in the front wall.

7 A drapery rod made from a tubing presenting a continuous flat front wall and a slotted rear wall connected by arched top and bottom portions, the edges of said rear wall prior to bending overlapping each other so as to provide an excess of metal in the rear wall over the amount of metal in the front wall, said rear wall being subsequently operated upon to afford a continuous longitudinal slot and the portions of said rear wall bordering said slot being inturned towards the front wall as channel arches of opposite curvature to the arches lconnecting the front and rear walls of the rod, the terminal flanges of said inturned flanges extending between the front and rear walls respectively upwardly and downwardly substantially parallel to said front and rear walls.

8. A drapery rod as claimed in claim 7, wherein the terminal portions of the inturned arches are respectively spaced a substantial distance from the opposing slotbordering portions of the rear wall.

9. A drapery rod presenting a flat front wall and a longitudinally slotted rear wall spaced from said front wall and joined thereto by top and bottom arches, the portions of the rear wall bordering the slot thereof being inturned towards the front wall as channel arches which are of reversed curvature to each other and to the first named arches and which terminate respectively in upwardly and downwardly extending flanges disposed in the space separating said front and rear walls, said rear wall portions prior to bendingbeing of such length as substantially to overlap each other so as to provide an excess of metal in the rear wall over the metal contained in the front wall.

10. A drapery rod as claimed in claim 9 wherein the terminal flanges are respectively spaced a substantial distance from the opposing slot-bordering portions of the rear wall and are disposed substantially parallel to said front and rear walls.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE M. KEN NEY. 

